A Work of Art
by DemonSaya
Summary: Ranma proposes to Akane...but not in an expected way...


Ranma hadn't really come out of his room for a week

Ranma hadn't really come out of his room for a week.Lately, he'd been staying in there, never even coming out to eat.Akane didn't understand why, and when she'd went to investigate, his door was locked.She was getting worried.

"Ranma?It's time for dinner..."She said softly.There were noxiating fumes seeping from the room."Ranma?"

"Hm, I'll be out in a bit..."

Akane sighed softly."I'll bring it up to you..."She said, walking away.

Ranma examined the things that littered his floor.At least a hundred extremely detailed pictures lay about, of various people, but mostly Akane.She didn't know about this, and she could never know.She didn't know that his talents did not just lay in the martial arts.He chewed on the end of the brush, his face serious.

"Ranma?Could you let me in so you can eat?"

Akane's voice sounded a little strained.He stood, walking towards it and slipped out."You didn't have to bring it up...I was coming down..."

"Are you feeling well?"She asked, placing a hand on his forhead.It was about the same temperature as her hands."No fever..."

"Huh?"

"Very intelligent answer, Ranma."She said, handing him the tray."What are you doing in there?"

He paused."Thinking..."He said, then smiled."Thank you for bringing this up to me..."He said softly, before disappearing into his room again.

Akane felt tears pierce her eyes when she heard the click of the lock."I don't understand..."She whispered, walking back to her room.

Her fiancee had been acting peculiar ever since the failed wedding.For the past few weeks, he'd been locking himself into his room, except for bathroom trips, school, and practice.She didn't understand what was wrong.It was so confusing.

"Ranma no baka..."She said softly, her hands becoming fists."Baka..."

She flopped backwards onto her bed and heard a soft voice in the hall.

"That'll do..."

Ranma.

She bolted upright and rushed to the door, seeing Ranma reentering his room and Nabiki walking down the hall.Ranma had several photos in his hands.She frowned.

What was going on?

******************************

"Wow...look at that...I wonder who drew that..."The students were staring at a incredibly detailed, wonderfully colored drawing that had won first place in the school art contest.

Ranma and Akane walked up and looked up at it.It was a picture of Akane, the colors and pencil stroaks remarcably detailed.Akane flushed, noticing she was dressed in something quite revealing.Something she was quite sure she didn't own.

"Chikusho..."Ranma said softly, staring admiringly up at the picture."Not bad..."

"As if such a knave as yourself has any knowledge of a work of art!"Kuno said, clasping Akane's wrist."Only one who knew Akane as intimately as I could understand the image..."

Akane walked toward it, looking for the artist.It was anonymous.No signature.She frowned."I wonder who drew it..."She said softly."I feel as if they know me better than any one else...even more than my parents..."

Ranma stepped up beside her and eyed the work he'd done."Hmmm..."He said softly, eyeing the eyelashes."The eyelashes bother me, though..."He said, then gently propelled her to class."Let's go, I don't want bucket duty..."

She frowned at him."Does the picture bother you that much?"

"Nope..."He said smiling at her."But paper and pencil ain't nothin compared to real life."He saw her flush and smiled."Ne?"

"A...aa..."She said softly, not looking at him.Had he just said something sweet?!

******************************

That evening, Akane brought dinner up to him again."Ranma, I brought you dinner."

The door opened and he looked at her a long moment."Akane..."He said softly, taking the tray from her."You don't have to do this..."He said softly.

She blushed."I know...but you know I can't let you starve to death."

He smiled gently, lifting her face with one hand."Arigatou..."

She smiled back, then walked away.

Ranma went back into his room and quickly ate, then went back to work on the painting.It held a message that he hoped would be clear to Akane when she saw it hanging with a first place ribbon on it in the school hall.

If anyone DIDN"T understand, they'd have to be as dense as Kuno.

It was Akane in an elaborate wedding kimono.The kimono was pale yellow and had sakura petals in peach painted on, hugging her in all the right places.He'd found the kimono in the attic, Nabiki, who had been his 'partner in crime' in all this, had told him it was their mothers.

He chewed on the end of the brush, his face calm."Hn..."He murmered."Not bad..."He smiled slightly."But it still doesn't compare to real life..."

******************************

"Saotome, where is your project for the show?"

He looked up at his art teacher and smiled."I'll bring it in later, alright?"He said.

The teacher sighed."Did you even do it?"

"Did I do the last one?"He asked, pushing back from his chair.He was blessed to be in a large class, where no one really noticed what he brought in."I'll bring it in after school."

"Did you sign this one?"The teacher looked down at the most promising artist in his class.

"No."He smiled."You know why I don't.When I want people to know who drew them, I'll tell them."

"What medium did you use?"

"Acrylics.It's not bad, but the eyelashes still bother me..."He chuckled, shaking his head.He was glad this was the last class of the day.

Akane walked up, looking between the two."Sensei, here's my project."She handed it in, her face calm.She hated the picture, because it couldn't compare to the anonymous person's work.

Ranma looked at the picture and then towards her face.She looked miserable."That's good, Akane..."He said, his face honest.It really was good.It wasn't as good as his, but it was good.

She looked over at him in surprise."Eh?!"She looked from the work to the works hung around the class and sighed."No it isn't..."She said, sitting at his table."Where's your project?"

"I'm handing it in after school."He smiled."I was doing it at home."

"Oh!That's what you were locked in there for..."She blinked."Why do you lock yourself in your room, though?"

"So I don't get distracted.I do all of these assignments at home."He smiled a bit.

She smiled."I look forward to seeing it, Ranma..."She said, then walked back to her seat.

His breath held."I can't wait till you see it..."He murmered, his eyes soft.

A person waved a hand in front of his face."Ranchan!"

He looked up, surprised to see Ucchan glaring down at him."Eh?Hi Ucchan..."

She smiled, holding her picture up, her face triumphant."Can you check my painting?"She asked, slipping it into his hands.It was a full color image of him kissing her.

His face darkened, but he nodded."The colors are good, and the brush technique isn't bad, either.Is this your project for the contest?"He asked.

She nodded."Yep, and I hope to get first place...in more than the contest..."She winked at him as he handed the picture back to her and turned back to the picture that sat on the table.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't put me in any more pictures like that anymore, Ucchan..."He said in an even voice."It'll give people the wrong idea..."He looked towards her, his eyes serious.

Her eyes widened, her jaw sagging."Wha-WHAT?!"

"It'll make people think I'm what I'm not.I have their respect, for the most part.Pictures like that will make their respect for me diminish quickly.

She blushed angrily."You're MY fiancee, Ranma!Everyone at scool knows that!How is this going to harm your reputation?!"

He sighed, rubbing his temples."Please, Ucchan?Can you do this one thing for me?"He looked up at her and saw her anger."Ucchan, you shouldn't do this kind of thing without asking the other person first."

She pouted, her eyes hurt."But I love you, Ranchan."

He put his face in his hands."I don't care, Ucchan, don't use me for your artwork."He stood, and looked towards his teacher."Yashimoto-sensei, can I run to my locker?"

"Sure.Hurry back."

"Hai, sensei."

***

Akane watched as Ranma ran up to his locker and opened it.Inside was a large piece of canvas rolled up.She approached him hesitantely.

"Hi, Akane."He said, not turning around.

"Can I see it, Ranma?"She asked, her eyes hopeful."Please?I never see your work at the art shows, can I see it, please?"

He looked back at her and almost melted into a puddle."Akane..."He started, his eyes soft."You have seen my work at the art shows, I've heard you compliment me a coupla times...but sometimes the artist doesn't want people to see his work before the rest of the world does."

She huffed, her eyes angry."Is it that bad?"

He began walking back to class."Nope...but the eyelashes still bother me..."

Her eyes widened as she remembered where she'd heard him say that before.The other picture.The one that had won first place.The one of her in what could barely be considered decent."Ranma...?"

***

When they walked into school the next day, the painting was hanging up high in the front of the school.

Akane stood there staring at it, her fiancee beside her."Wow..."She whispered, her eyes flitting across the surface."That's incredible..."

Ranma sighed, looking towards her nervously."Akane..."He began, but was cut off by an enthusiastic Kuno.

"I see you admire my work, Akane Tendo!"

"Your work?"

Kuno pointed to the second place picture, which was a picture of him with the Pig-tailed girl, and Akane in wedding clothing beside him.

Akane and Ranma turned green."Actually, she was admiring MY work."Ranma said softly, his face serious.He pointed to the first prize."See?"

Akane stared at Ranma her eyes wide in shock."You...painted that?"

He nodded."The eyelashes still bother me...I don't know why..."He grabbed her and turned her so she was posed like the picture and flickered back and forth between them."Oh...there's the problem...they're thicker in real life...hmm..."

She flushed darkly."Ranma..."

He smiled at her, winking."Your eyelashes have been driving me nuts since I started using you as a model."He squeezed one of her hands gently."You do understand the picture, right?"He asked, his eyes suddenly very serious.

She blushed."Ranma..."She whispered, looking away.

"Please?"

Finally, she looked from the picture to him."It's me...in my mother's wedding kimono..."A tear slipped from her eyes."It's a proposal."She whispered.

He gently brushed the tear away."Please?"He asked, his eyes holding hers down, an invitation."Please marry me?"

She felt a ragged sob escape her and she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly."Yes!"She whispered into his ear and felt him relax, his arms stealing around her slender waist."I love you, Ranma..."

"I love you, too..."He whispered back."Itsumo..."


End file.
